How to Create an Animated GIF in Corel

Corel is a Canadian software company known for producing popular graphics programs such as CorelDraw and Animation Shop. Animation Shop uses a storyboard platform to create animated GIFs or images. You can create your frames in CorelDraw, then use Animation Shop to fuse the original files into one file or GIF. The GIF runs through all frames to create movement. Working with Coral software takes some practice, but the reward is a smooth animated GIF.

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CorelDraw

Step

Open CorelDraw on your computer.

Step

Create a new folder on your hard drive. Right-click on your desktop, select "New" from the menu and then "Folder." Name your folder "GIF."

Step

Design and create the first frame of your graphic. For example, if you want to make animated text with the word "Welcome," you would use the text tool to type "Welcome." Select font size and colors for your text.

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Step

Save the image in the new folder. Click on "File" located at the top of the screen. Select GIF as the type and name the file "1." Now you should have one file in your GIF folder titled "1.gif." This is the first frame of your animation.

Step

Take the graphic on your canvas and alter it in some way. For instance, using the "Welcome" example, if you typed your first frame with a font size of 24 pt., highlight the text and change the size to 20 pt.

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Click on "File" and then "Save as." Save the altered graphic as "2.gif" and add it to your folder. This is the second frame of your animation.

Step

Continue creating each frame of your image and saving to your GIF folder.

Animation Shop

Step

Open Animation Shop on your computer.

Step

Click on "File," then "Animation Wizard," and follow the instructions provided. Verify that the "Same size as the first image frame" radio button is on. Click "Next" to continue.

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Set the image color to transparent by clicking on the radio button for "Transparent." Click "Next" to continue.

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Keep moving through the screens setting up the options for your GIF, such as number of frames and looping.

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Click on the "Add Image" button. Locate your GIF folder and load the frames you created with PaintShop. Click "Next" to continue and then "Finish."

Step

Preview your new GIF. Click on the "View Animation" button at the top of the screen.

Step

Save your animation. Select "File" then "Save as." Type in the name of your graphic and click on "Save."